Raging storms outside (threatening to wipe out New Year celebrations, according to the local papers...) which seem quite appropriate on a day clearing out Christmas and putting it all back in the box for another year.
How come the rooms always seem so much bigger when the decorations come down?

Good to have this quiet day at home - almost like a sigh of relief itself sweeping through the house. The kids have all been subdued and shell-shocked all day, worn out from the two previous days of visiting family.
Finally caught up with D and K on Wednesday at the farm, where we were also joined by Gill and Vic so it was very much a full house. Excellent day though, just chatting, eating and generally getting on. Seems weird to hear D talking of his new civvy job with an aerobatics team based in Northants - he's finding the 'real' world very exciting. ANd with a baby due at Easter this is going to be a good year for them. Once they get to sell the three houses they own between them...
Then yesterday at Mum's catching with my sister too, who we also see far too little of.

In between, we've been forced again to confront the challenge of our contraceptive plans for the future, which was a little unexpected. Trx was planning to go and see a doctor next week and talk about the side effects of this hormone-releasing coil she's using, which have been increasing worse over the past fortnight.
The 'blepharitis' in her right eye refuses to respond to any drips and drops, and the headaches are worsening with a noticable decline in her vision. This has been worrying us for weeks, but it seems no-one really is willing to tie the cause with the effect.
Add to this the sudden hairloss over the past fortnight, and it all seems a bit dramatic. But on Thursday, during a routine appointment to get Nora's Jabs, she managed to speak to a community midwife and nurse, who both seemed very concerned and suggested the coil was removed straightaway.
So that's that.
We are back with an Issue to deal with sometime next year. Whenever we decide the time is right to resume some kind of sex life.

Be careful what you pray for I suppose....

Here's a complete list of all the albums I have added to my collection this year. Some are new copies of old vinyl or cassette, some new discoveries.
As usual, apart from the first one - they are in no particular order:

Best Album of 2006
Scott Walker - The Drift
Ten years in the making. Dark, difficult and totally inspired.
Godlike genius flows through every note

closely followed by:
John Foxx - Tiny Colour Movies
His first solo album for 20years, and his most significant work since Metamatic. One day, the music world will understand
Gary Numan - Telekon
Never tire of hearing this, and the live show in December was awesome

Best New Discoveries:
Rubicks - In Miniature.
Deserve to be heard. Sexy as f*k.
Zea - Insert Parallel Universe

The Good:
Ute Lemper - Punishing Kiss
Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle
Scott Walker - Climate of Hunter
Nation 12 - Electrofear
Soft cell - The Bedsit Tapes
Throbbing Gristle - DoA
Brian Eno/Harold Budd - Plateaux of Mirror
The Human League - Travelogue
Nick Cave andThe Bad Seeds - The Lyre of Orpheus
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
Television - Marquee Moon
David Bowie - Low
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Nocturama
Nick Cave andThe Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads
The Wedding Present - George Best
Kraftwerk - The Man Machine
Tom Waits - Bounced Checks
Metamatics - Mind Mushing Git
Holger Czukay - Movies
Philip Glass - The Low Symphony
John Foxx and Louis Gordon - Live from a Room (As Big as a City)
The Beatles - Revolver

Recommended:
The Best of Rolf Harris
Various (Hydrogen Dukebox) - Music For Heroes 1- 4
The Rose Ensemble - Mikelei Zielensky's 17th century motets
John Foxx and Louis Gordon - From Trash
Nick cave and The Bad Seeds - Abbattoir Blues
Robin Guthrie - Continental
Tom Waits - Big Time
Throbbing Gristle - 2nd Annual report
Andrew Lahiff - Leaving Lights
John Foxx - The Hidden Man
Louis Gordon - Closed Gone Fishing
Philip Glass - Koyaanisqatsi
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Tender Prey
Siouxsie and The Banshees - Juju
Louis Gordon - Deep Electric Blue ep
Scott Walker - Pola X
Bill Nelson - Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam
Hood - Cold House
Piano Magic - The Troubled Sleep of Piano Magic

The Rest:
The The - Mind Bomb
The Late Cord - Lights from the Wheelhouse
System 7 - Golden Section
Aphex Twin - Druqx

Just my opinion of course, but some people care.
I make no excuses whatever for including Rolf Harris in the 'good' list.
Having seen him live four times, that pits him in Third Place on my gig list!
Almond top with 9 shows, John Foxx with 6 the Rolf with 4.
Weird how things go, isn't it.
His songs never fail to make me smile, and true to the rest of my taste, I admire anyone with the talent and confidence to just gets on with their own thing and delights in being different.
Equally, no excuses for John's From Trash album being only average.
TBH, it's a big disappointment and if it weren't for loyalty and the fact that it includes three or four excellent tunes it would be in with the rest

Is it called 'Boxing Day' because this is the day when we all put out the boxes from the new presents into our bins/
Every house we passed this afternoon had piles of coloured cardboard outside, and kids on Bikes in the street.
We had two new scooters, and Stan was so ready for his. It's covered in mud and scratched already becasue he insisted on taking it into the forest yesterday and using it on the muddy grass.
Such a loon - but he's a great laugh.
All the others insisted on paddling in the freezing streams and overflowing their wellies, so there's more than a small pile of washing to start on in the morning.
Pulled up at the pond for our oicnic about 1pm, and saw another family in the next clearing by the water with a table and Christmas hats!! Excellent idea, but we prefer to travel light and just had some rolls and mince pies on a blanket on the ground.
Six pigs again this year (and no piglets) which made everyone scream with delight, but only one pair of mandarins on the pond.
More than made up for though by 21 Goosander which I haven't seen there before and the very best view of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker also at this prime site for the first time.
I really need to take the bins next time!!!
If I hadn't fallen of the new pogostick in the carpark (which still tingles and sweats inside the Tubigrip!) it would have been a perfect time. Still, even this silly accident gave everyone else a laugh.

Out to a house party this afternoon so again I have eaten too much. Gave us a good opportunity to pass on at least one of the bottles of wine and boxes of cake we seem to have accumulated int he last couple of days. People are very generous, but there's only so much chocolate you can eat! As always, it will be the New Year before we get anything green to eat, especially the children!!

Think about 45 people came through here yesterday afternoon. And another dozen or so didn't turn up despite saying they would on Friday morning.
It worked REALLY well, despite the over-catering (I'm making a habit of this!!) and it was great to catch up with two or three families we only seem to meet at this kinfd of thing once a year.
Interesting too, when you get five or six people in a room who have perhaps never met before, and to get different perspectives on how you "do" Christmas.
Our picnic lunch idea seesm to have spread around the parish, and so many people have commented on whether or not we will be doing it tomorrow or not. Just hope the wetaher does brighten up a little and the fog eventually clears.
We'll go anyway of course, but it could be freezing!

As it will later tonight in the Old Church for the Christingle, which is a great service and always sets the scene nicely. It will hopefully make up for the service this morning which seemed to be a bit of a disorganised flop...

This morning was one of those heart-sinking times when you wake up, slightly hungover, and wander downstairs to a scene of devastation. Unfortunately, the pixies forgot to come round during the night and clear away all the remnants of the party food, hoover up, wash up or tidy away any of the toys.
It was a bit of a struggle that took both of us all morning!

This afternoon, as is now traditional for Christmas Eve, the children are all tired, grumpy and determined to kill each other. Alice has helped me make a trifle because she refuses to be in the same room as anyone else! Still, it will pass, and its only down to being exhausted, far too much chocolate and the extreme levels of anticipation.

Me too - I haven't a clue what I'll be getting.

It's enough of a present to have the Forum back on line at the place it belongs, and to have been made a Goldmember before even signing in. Posted the Lyric quiz I made up a week or three ago and look forward to seeing the responses to that. It was great to finally catch up with RH yesterday afternoon (during the chaos - he is the master of bad timing!!) and to exchange festive good wishes.

Which I extend to you all now -
Merry Christmas, thanks for coming by this blog (especially the regulars and friends)

Peace be with you, and my best wishes for a peaceful and fulfilling New year.

…do not a great gig make.
When the whole is fragmented, and the parts do not work together, an event can only be a disappointment.
I would have felt so last night if I'd only gone round the corner to see the first 'happening' put on by Closed Connection. Not 'Closed Circuit' as I keep calling it. Sorry baby The three hour drive through freezing fog on one of the busiest drives I can remember really didn't help.
Made worse by the restuarant Kink had chosen for dinner being boarded up for redecoration! Didn't you check!!!.
Good venue tho, the back room at The Racecourse on Abington Square, which seems to be the place in Northampton where lots of good things are happening in the musical world at the moment.

ENKI are not one of them.
Kind of a psychedelic version of REM with heavy dose of early Floyd and a vocalist reminiscent of Liam Gallagher but without the voice. Kink's boyfriend Dan is a competent bass player (but a crap events organiser) but dedicates more of his time to Device, his MK based band. I think at least two of the other five also play in other bands, so ENKI is kind of a loose collaboration - and clearly they haven't played tohgether more than a handful of times and hadn't rehearesed a set for this evening.
Mind you, they were considerably better than singer/songwriter Jo Woolley whose local popularity is beyond me. Terrible PA work, so no-one could here him at all above the tinny guitar.
Kink had told me that the next band, a boy/girl duo called Luna Sprout were 'a bit rubbish' and again the sound system and mixing desk people did them no favours. But I really liked them. Simon someone on guitar and vocals, and Trina in her ballgown on harp, vocals, glockenspiel, traingle and recorder.
Very quirky and bravely different, slightly eccentric so all the better for that.
But the whole thing was running so late by this time their set was cut to about 20 minutes and sadly no-one gave them a chance. The attitude of the 100+ crowd was annoying throughout actually, chanting, shouting and acting up over all the bands.
Except The National Parks who were clearly the ones that evryone had turned out to see. Brilliant, out miles better and more polished than any of the rest despite having only played together twice before. Two guys with electric guitars and keyboards, playing electronic/industrial msuic in the style of Joy Division, the Wedding Present, TG etc.
Clearly talented. Well structured songs and cleverly delivered lyrics:

I forgot how to sing in time
I forgot how to sing in - time
I forgot how to make words rhyme…

One for a recommendation to Malins I think and worthy of more performance time.
Redeemed an otherwise disappointing evening for me, and I had their songs in my head all the way home through the fog.
Didn't arrive back here till nearly three.

To be honest, I feel more than a bit let down about how this event was sold to me. It turned out not to be 'a gig that me and Dan have organised' and the artowrk 'displayed around the room' was a shambles. Four pictures (hers was the best by miles, and the only one framed) leaning up against instruments on stage where no-one could see them. Loads of people coming in not knowing who was playing (what happened to the dozen or so A3 posters I printed out??), everything running late and no-one on the door except Bisuit and me! Like I have a clue.
No re-entry stamps, no restuarant etc etc.
But I'm glad I went for I have learned a lot.
Confirms my earlier reflection that I need to seriously reconsider jaunts like this in the future.

BUt REALLY GOOD to be back 20 years and seeing live local bands doing their thing in smoky pubs. This is what music should really be about, regardless of whether I actually like the sound or not.

Open House this afternoon and a 'head wetting' beer for baby Mim this evening.

Yeah, right

This release has been put back again due to "technical difficulties" with the production and now won't be on general release until 2nd January. I do hope it's not being rushed and that th ecover art and packaging is as good as the visuals on the disc.
Stands to be John's first release of 2007, closely followed by the general release of Sideways which should be in the shops from Monday 8th.

I am secretly hoping that a copy of this might find its way to me via Father Christmas as I am hopelessly behind with it and still have only heard three of the tracks. Everyne has gone so quiet at the forum about this. It seems an album is only worth talking about for a week or so after it first comes out.

Only three days to go until the forum at ultravx.org goes live again, with an amnesty until the new year on all previious miscreants. Not convinced myself, but we will see how it goes.
Seems to me to be littl epoint in re-opening the forum at uvox when tp is offering an equally good alternative. Lets' face it, without the forum, there is little on offer at the site dedicated to a band that haven't released an album for a dozen or so years. Its like flogging a dead horse. TP is ONLY a forum, and a good one too, as far as I know.
But with the forum also opening up at metamatic that will impact on TP as well. Foxx is really the only member of the band with a high profile career still going stronger than ever (Billy C and Robin Simon are less prolofic and even less popular...) so I think it stands to reason that a Forum about Foxx should be at his own official site rather than an ultravox-centred one.
But I think that will inevitably take traffic away from uvox and TP

I won't be signing up, becasue all being well at the smae time I shall be moderating similar at metamatic.
A little frustrated that RH hasn't been in touch about this, and also that he has offered the first ten or so memberships to others after previously suggesting I may be 003. I will try to ring him on Saturday for a chat before we go 'live'.

12 simple prayers for Christmas.
I wrapped a 'bible box' with a cross inside up in twelve layers of paper.
In between each layer, a slip of paper, each carrying the following short prayers:-

1. Love - Lord, help us follow the way of love-let the love of Christ compel us (1 Corinthians 14:1; 2 Corinthians 5:14).

2. Joy - Restore the joy of Your salvation to us; let us experience the joy of Your presence (Psalm 51:12, 16:11).

3. Peace - Let Your peace rule and guard our hearts; give us more of You, Jesus - You are our peace. (Colossians 3:15; Phil 4:7; Eph 2:14).

4. Hope - Enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may know the hope You called us to (Eph 1:18 ).

5. Favour - Let Your favour rest on us (Luke 2:52).

6. Life - Shine Your light of life on us; help us to walk in it (Job 33:30; Ps 56:13).

7. Salvation - Help us to fear You so that we can unlock the treasure of Your salvation (Isaiah 33:6).

8. Selflessness - Keep us from self-seeking attitudes that reject truth (Romans 2:8 ).

9. Generosity - Make us rich in ways that result in generosity on our part so You will be praised. (2 Corinthians 9:11).

10. Receiving - Help us receive Your kingdom, Your spirit, and Your grace (Dan 7:18; Jn 20:22; Rom 5:17).

11. Seeking - Encourage us to seek Your face with all our hearts (Dt 4:29; Ps 27:8 ).

12. Praise - We ascribe glory to your name, Lord; we come before You in worship for You are holy (1 Chron 16:28-29).

At the end, we each read our prayer, in order.
It seemed to be appreciated and was very effective. Good to draw us close to HIm at a time when it is easy to get carried away with all the Stuff.

This has been one of the most uplifting days I've had for a while, and it seems to be quite simply because I have finished work. Don't think I realised how much of my headspace this takes up, and it was a relief and a great release to get home at 11 and feel thats it for a while.
Lovely to be home with the kids today, and get some quality time with Kink before she left in the freezing fog mid-afternoon.
Put some more decorations up with Alice, and then Flo helped me wrap the last of the presents. In town yesterday I picked up an iPod Shuffle for Biscuit and a tripod for Kink.

Not really looking forward to travelling to Northampton tomorrow to attend the Closed Circuit gig she has organised, but I know it will be worth the trip. And I know she's excited about me and Dan meeting up for the first time.
Considering pulling this kind of think in a bit next year as I can feel a more sedentary period approaching.

Last few presents today. At the office before 8, which gives me time to get into the shops early.
Hopefully this will be my last day working too, if things come together.

Weird being in here first. But tells me it was a Good Idea not to go out with Kink last night...

So I can begin to feel its nearly Christmas.

Called on the gloves this morning for the first time this season (can't use the word 'winter' yet...) and you could almost hear them clapping in excitement.

Breath condensing
River steely grey,
Skeletal trees in the park
Smoking breath of chilling mist
Scattering gulls
Men in overcoats
And girls in groups

…but a whimper.
Still slowly bringing home bits and pieces of food and drink left over from the party. I over-catered on a massive scale and the whole thing was a bit of a disappointment. In the end, more or less only the people who said they were coming actually turned up - which came to about a dozen or so during the afternoon. Worth doing, but I know next time to rein in the shopping a bit.
Looking on the bright side though, we have plenty of stuff now that will do for our Open House this Saturday afternoon.
It didn't start well for me and I guess this affected my whole mood. D flatly refused to bring his car into town so that we could pick up Claire from JGI. He suggested that 'she didn't have to come' and it was a complete waste of effort, which I'm afriad really pissed me off. We got on so well as neighbours at the old office and I drop by regularly. Since her hip operation she's unable to walk far and can't do stairs.
So once we got back to the office at 1pm from our meeting in Lym, I cycled home to get my car and picked her up en route back.
Ironically, by 4pm JO was struggling with her second blinding migraine in three weeks and had to be taken home. Weird driving her little Polo (just the same as the car we had until about three years ago) and then knackering cycling home against the wind for six miles! She's better now, but we need to watch her stress levels next year I think, She's not great at coping.
It really seems, forgive my cynicism, that for D these days the only 'relationships' he pursues with people are those that have some return value in a business, or financial sense. The three guests at the party most notably ignored we Claire as mentioned, Alldays who drove in from Wooville to catch up and a couple from one of the guest houses in Eastleigh.
It's really shallow and irritating, but was ever thus.
Challenge him on it, and of course you get "well yes of course. There's got to be something in it for us."
But there is, if only you could see it.
Next week's Planning Meeting for 2007 could be interesting.
And converstaion crashing is his latest trick.
What's that quote?
"If you aren't talking about an Alpha male, they are not listening"...

Christmas tree is up and looks great. Mum and Dad helped during their visit on Saturday - the annual exchange of presents. Thankfully there is less for the kids this year - probably only two or three things each, including those from my sister. As usual we got told off for spending too much on them (two presents each - less than £50??) but it feels good to be able to give a bit more generously this year than in the past.
I picked up Trx's coat this afternoon in Debenhams and so spend the last £40 of our pot, which was on a bargain that was, for no obvious reason, reduced from £75? As a surprise I got her a lovely brass bell for the front door, with bell rope and a clapper and everything. We gave up looking for one a year or two ago, so moving into the Bargate has opened up several new shops we don't usually visit. And we can play the 'tenants' card and get up to 20% off.

Trx read a passage from the front during the evening carol Service on Sunday, which I think she enjoyed. First time, and she was really nervous. But vicar obviously chose her on purpose, because the five other readers were also 'virgins' picked at the last minute. He only came round at 5pm (another 'glass-of-wine-and-a-mince-pie' moment) with the notes, claiming that someone else had dropped out at the last minute. Easy enough piece, Luke 2, but I'm glad she's started it.
Thursday night at cell I'm putting together a "Pass the Prayer Parcel" as my contribution to the games. This is after I shat on the idea someone else had of all dressing up as characters from the Nativity!!!

Just fed and put Norag to bed. Two 'meals' a day now, but she doesn't like nar-ners.
She's quite easy to put down, especially compared with Elsi who I remember was a bugger at this age and screamed for ages. Miss Baggins settles herself within five minutes usually. Shame she only sleeps for three hours at a time.
Phone - Tx's sister.
We have to arrange another visit to someone else next week.

Took delivery of two of the latest machines today - 20" models which I got for £750 each. Super Drives, Dual Processor - the spec is quite ridiculous for the price. Things are moving on too fast, but it's a big improvement on those days in 1994 when I had to take out a loan of £5k to set myself up with the kit to start the business. I can only imagine how much exciting kit that would buy us now.

So these are waiting for me in the office tomorrow morning, as they arrived after I left to meet the kids from school and take Stan swimming. Or not.
Poor little man is so tired now after performing the School play twice (and again tomorrow night) that he could hardly stand up when we got home from school! He was clearly relieved at the thought of not having to go. But he's wet himself at school twice this week, which is worrying and a sign that he is obviously exhausted.
I think Flo must be as well. She's in the same play but with a much bigger part, she's rehearsing the carol concert for church and tonight got enrolled into Guides during an evening's bowling that didn't finish until after 9pm! She looked shattered when I arrived to pick her and her friends up at 8.30, hardly having strength or inspiration to roll the ball!!
After dropping them off at 7, I went and set a personal best in Tesco by spending £240 on the office Christmas Party! Never hosted anyhting quite like this before (hope we get enough people turning up!!) and it's getting quite exciting.
The frij arrived today as well, so with that and the new machines set up we should look quite impressive on Friday.

One quick rant.
MegaBowl at Millbrook is SUCH a crap place! Lose the DJ guys, what a complete w*nker. "Crimbo" FFS, what is THAT all about.
How come there is also MTV on the computer screens that aren't being used, palying music that no-one can here over the DJ?? Sensory overload.

Things I hate about Christmas (in no particular order)

People writing it as 'Xmas' see previous rants about laziness.
(I'll come back to this. It's a pet hate of mine on a much bigger scale)
People calling it 'Crimbo'
Gifts - why gifts? There is surely enough stuff in the shops already without bringing out extra things called 'gifts' that nobody wants.
Free Gift wrapping service - only if you buy the above. Not available for goods and products that are not in our 'gift' range
Huge Inflatable 'things' that could not be less tasteful. Why not just put up a big sign outside your house that says "I haven't got a fekkin clue"
'Christmas' themed pop music. Well, OK not the musicper se but the fact that it is played incessantly from November 1st in every mall and in every store. I HATE instore music anyway. If I want to listen to music, I'll put an album on?
Presents for me and my family that are cheap shit – because you felt obliged to get us something and buying three items for a tenner makes it look as if we got more presents. Just give a tenner on our behalf to a worthy cause
People 'showing off' inversely about how much money they've spent. If you didn't have it, you couldn't spend it. So you must have the money. So why be-grudge spending it? Instead of moaning about it, just don't do it?

That's only eight.
Hmmm.....

It seems to be Christmas in a minute.
Always has a weird way of creeping up on me all of a sudden.

We've lit two of the advent candles in church and the chiildren have stared rehearsing for the nativity on 24th as well as the carol singing that evening after Christingle. PCC cancelled tonight and instead half of dozen of us have been over in the Old Building cleaning a few bits and pieces. Hopefully we can get together agian towards the end of next week and make everything ready for the Christingle and The Midnight Communion.
It will be wonderful having these in the Church this year - can't recall ever experiencing that myself.

When I say "all of a sudden", I mean crash bang! We had SEVEN cards today (the first postal delivery!) and two big packages arrived containing various gifts bought Mail Order by Trx a week or three ago.
I've been out myself this afternoon and put another £75 in Santa's pocket buying things for my parents and my nephews. Just DH to go now and then Mum and Dad have everything to take back with them on Saturday.

And the calendar is full to bursting. Tonight was cleaning at Church, which I cut short so that Trx could go out to her Christmas Meal. Tomorrow is the School Play (first peformance today and the kids are happy with it) and then in the evening Flo's party at Guides, during which I'm going out to pick up all the catering for our office Thing on Friday afternoon.
Beers with the boys that evening, then Mum and Dad on Saturday which will involve buying and putting up the tree. Someone I think has an open house that afternoon/evening.
It goes on like this for a few days into next week, leading up to our Open HOuse on Saturday week.
Looking forward to that. It's always good to open up the doors and get the friends in. Fire on, game sout, loads of baking etc etc.
The kids will by then have driven us totally mad - they are beginning to become very silly and often annoying having virtually nothing to do at school except get excited and watch films! They have already got about 20 cards each (97 between the four of them) and I think this year for the first time we will probably get past the 300 mark as a family.
I'm spending an hour or three this evenig writing cards and wrapping up the stuff I bought today

Mum - Sculpture "The Angel of Peace" and a book "Christianity Explained" to help her along with things a bit.
Dad - a pair of secateurs and a book "5000 Web sites Worth a Visit" or something, to make him feel more confident on the web
Flo - a paper folding, craft making kit and some clothes.
Ali - a pogo stick and some clothes
Stan - a scooter
Elsi - a counting game, some books and clothes
Nora - some toy keys
Sister - Perfume and cosmetics
Bro-in-law 1 - Beers
Bro-in-law 2 - Subscription to "The Green Parent" in anticiaption of baby in April
Sister in law - ??? we can never buy for Jilly
Father-in-law - ??? always difficult as well
Same food items for Mirfees, Harris, Moores, Randalls
Same game and a wind up torch for six other kids
em...

I've forgotten several people. There's a list somewhere.

Why can't people just buy me the books and music I always ask for??
If you are going to spend £10 or £20 on me, or the kids each, then get ONE THING that is worth the money. SO many times we get half a dozen pieces of rubbish each.
I'm not ungrateful. But just hate to see money being wasted. More disappointing still when its people we don't see from one year to the next.
Just ring us up for a chat, or visit.
That's what it's about.

I think Christmas seems to annoy everyone, one way or another. I actually enjoy the event itself, so much more since my confirmation and awakening to what it really means and the underlying spirit of it all and gestures of forgiveness, friendship, support etc being par tof a 'family' community etc. It saddens me though when I see all around me what a mess we have made of it, and how the whole shopping for gifts even, itself very satisfying, has been reduced to a circus and a competition to outdo one another.
Playground talk of £300 for this 'fekking' thing, or 36" plasma TV screens in the bedroom of a 5 yr old. WTF???

Rant over.
Keep a handle on what its all about.
Prepare a meal and a fire for some friends.
Talk to folk. Serve soup and offer things to people.
Give stuff.
Don't just Buy stuff

Forgive my self-righteousness.
Blogs are for ranting in sometimes, at the world in general.
No offence.

Have some cake…

What a load of bollocks that is.

I have just written the blog entry below which uses the words 'gig' and 'Surrey'.
Suddenly I get links to sites offering me tickets to Bryan Adams (WHAT??) and information on house prices in Sussex.
I am not going to see Bryan Adams and I wouldn't want to.
Apologies to Brayn Adams fans, but the point is, to everyone else, I didn't ask them to pepper me in.
I should get a 'pro' account maybe.

Also noticed that since I started using more 'tags' by using fairly random words from a posting that I'm getting more ads, and more hits.
Can't imagine why else I should have gone up from 0nly 50 hits a day to over 200 in the last couple of weeks.
Thanks a million to everyone who comes by here.
Really appreciate your patience with me.
It's just a life, but having a blog followed adds a new dimension to things

Isn't hotmail a pile of crap?
I cannot get Kink and Biscuit to stop using it.
I can't send big attachments, they can't send big attachments, and they have to go online to check their email!!
Helloo....??

This is so typical of me.

There was a question on the forum the other day asking for information about some album release or other, and the guy said "I've tried to Google it, and came up with nothing"
Nothing? Are you sure? How do you get Google to return nothing??

Waht did you type in to the box?
People type in whole fucking sentences or questions, and then freak out when they get either 'nothing' or 10,000,000,000 results.
And Google gets cross.
"Try removing quotes and signs from your search terms in order to yield more results"
What?? Why would I want MORE results, the whole point is trying to narrow down the shit to find what I need.

And, as I eventually replied to this guy, you might want to consider using a different search engine.

Apparently there are some…

Three hours to get to a gig?
Crazy?
Maybe, but only two minutes I had forgotten the irritation of sitting in stationary traffic on the Westway for 45minutes.
It took an hour to get inside the M25 as you'd expect, and then the next 12 miles or so to Kentish Town took two and a quarter. Absolutely incredible.
Serves us right for driving I suppose, but on a Saturday evening I never really expected it to be that back.
More of a bugger was the closure to the M3 on the way back which left us rallying round the country lanes of Surrey at 2am.

So it was quite a jaunt and I'm still knackered (got to bed just before 4!!) but the gig was something else. Up there I think with perhaps the Best Ever shows I've seen.
Great atmosphere, great venue, great music and great performance.
My only criticism would be that Numan himself was being a bit too Numan, which in my book is not cool. He has a swaggering arrogance on stage that annoys me and I think makes him look a bit of a twat at times, but he certainly knows what he;s doing.
Telekon is up there among my favourite albums of All Time, so seeing the whole thing performed through live was incredible. he 'rocked up' one or two tracks a little, but really not much at all - saving that for the superb versions of I Die You Die and the incredible version of We Are Glass which had everyone going wild.
Mike was a tad disappointed that he played Down in the Park and Are 'Friends' electric? AGAIN, but it has always been thus and to some extent it wouldn't be a Numan gig without the latter at least.
One of the biggest shows I've been too for ages too - far bigger than Portsmouth. Probably 2000 people there in all - and some fantastic outfits. I love all that Goth image and the people who really got into their gear looked amazing. Blokes with long, long black hair and eye make up, stormtroopers, chains, black lace, boots with studs, zips any number of piercings.
Some amazing women. One dressed up like a 1920s Dietrich, complete with hairnet and cigarette holder, a couple of Nazi lesbians with flat peaked caps, jackets and black tutus, stockings only just above the knees and fuck-off boots. Some drag queens in boiler suits and wedding dresses.
Punks too, mohicans, jeans. One girl in a Siouxsie Tshirt, with holes cut out for her tits. Nipples painted black and pierced with inch long spikes. Men in three piece suits.
I felt so ordinary, almost a fraud.
But a really friendly bunch of people, and it was a real buzz to get carried along with the crowd.
Stand out tracks were the aforementioned singles at the end, and the opener This Wreckage which has always been a favourite of mine and really hits you at the start of the album. Please Push No More was quiet and beautiful and I'm an Agentreminded me just how good he is.
There's a lot of great music in Numan, and if this performance is anything to go by I'll be looking out for next year's album

Nora McBaggins is downstairs enjoying her first solid food - a teaspoon full of organic baby rice.
Or wallpaper paste, as we prefer to call it.
She's troughing it down with no mess, smiling as if this is what she has been trying to tell us for ages.

16 weeks old today.

Someone walked through me
Someone who knew me
Someone I recognise
Someone wearing me like a disguise

Sometimes during conversations
I realise you see me
I make a joke to hide uncertain feelings

Why does the last thing you need always happen?

A 'dark walk' with Stan and LC to the chippie for dinner - I know, I know, but it's only once a month - and we bump into PB and her daughter Ellie.
First time I've actually seen her for eight months, not counting a couple of waves from a passing car, and she still looks amazing.
Uncomfortably so.
I keep seeing her middle daughter around, whose name escapes me, but she is the spitting image of her mum. And Ellie too, who has recognised me a couple of times as I walk past her hang-out at Shakeaway.
She's friendly, but I'm surprised she is prepared to say hi in front of her mates.
Proabably 12 by now?
I can hardly believe that seven years have past since our 'relationship' came to end, and it's a bit scary how much of a pickle my head is in after this evening's cheap ten minute thrill on the bridge. Maybe the box isn't quite big enough.
Or at least I need to think about repairing the lid.

Why has that card turned up again?

Talking to blokey this afternoon has left me feeling odd too. A bit down, a bit nervous, and very tired. Again.
Worthwhile - and I'm going to start a series of sessions from next week which the business can pay for.
I ordered two new Macs today, so it's not as if we are short of the cash.
This is the last month of crappy wages too - doubling in January!
Hurrah

What an uplifting feeling it is to arrive at work via the song of a Mistle Thrush from the top of the limes in Hoglands Park, and the evocative scream of Herring Gulls on rooftops outside our window.
If the forecast holds true for next week and we return to the crisp , cold sunshine I will start my 'art project' on the roof.

Excellent link, mate.
I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea in my head. Totally random, but that's how they come to me.
I thougth about trying to organise an exhibition of Polish Art, and maybe a poetry and stories group, or something.
We have so many migrants around here now, in all six classes at school and thousands across the city - displaced people who have brought with them a culture and a heritage that we know nothing about it. I imagined introducing myself to the huddle of parents in the playground and finding out which ones speak the best English. Talking to them about their country, and the art prodcued from it. Poetry especially would be an inspiration.
I'm sure setting up an exhibition wouldn't be that difficult if it was local and on a small scale - I know several people who could advise etc...

Like I I need something else to do.

Still have a pile of interviews with John sitting next to me.
But with none of the ones I've done so far going on line this side of the New year, I'm losing inspiration for that as well.

Have in the meantime submitted a 25 question lyric quiz and 2006 retrospective for consideration as competitions.
Received three more signed postcards this week.
Must catalogue what stuff I have, as it goes a long way beyond the music now.

Big day for the children tomorrow, Stan especially is very excited.
Stalin's Christmas shop - an opportunity at school for them to buy presents for their friends and family.
By choosing, shopping and sorting out the money themselves. Yr 6 Prefects do the wrapping and helping the little ones oout with change.

They've each taken £5 out of their money boxes.
When otherwise do kids get to shop for themselves.

I'm so tired.
No doubt becasue I've spent nearly a whole hour eating toast and watching TV. That's tiring.
Lethargy is a dangerous thing, and it's entirely self-inflicted.
Lazy is a virulent disease and self replicates with alarming speed.

Leaving the office at 3 tomorrow to get to the appointment .
Don't really know if I'm nervous or not.

Menu - Shut Down.
Maybe I will sleep for more than four hours.
Give me books.
And water.

And even better: